Lefaucheux Model 1862
Lefaucheux · Revolver · Discontinued · 1862
Also known as: Lefaucheux 1862 Triple Action, Modele 1862 a triple action, 12mm Pinfire Triple Action Revolver
Overview
The Lefaucheux Model 1862 is a French six-shot pinfire revolver designed by Eugene Lefaucheux and covered by French patent no. 55,784 of 27 September 1862. Chambered for the self-contained 12mm Lefaucheux pinfire cartridge, it refined the earlier military Lefaucheux revolvers with a so-called 'triple action' lockwork, in which the trigger could cock the hammer to a held partial or full position without firing, combining the control of a single-action with the speed of double-action trigger-cocking. It retained the classic open iron frame, right-side loading gate, under-barrel ejector rod and walnut grip with lanyard ring of the Lefaucheux line.
Specifications
| Overall Length | 285 mm (11.22") |
| Barrel Length | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Action Type | Double Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 168 m/s (551 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12mm Lefaucheux · primary — also known as 12mm pinfire, 12mm Lefaucheux pinfire, 12x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Six Shot Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Open Frame, Loading Gate, Ejector Rod, Pinfire Cartridge, Six Shot Cylinder, Triple Action Mechanism, Lanyard Ring
Service history
Operators
- Union Army
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
- Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
Production
Production years: 1862-1880
Commercial pinfire revolver; exact production totals unrecorded. Made in France and by Liege gunmakers
Origin
Country of origin: France
Designer: Eugene Lefaucheux
Discontinued: 1880
Notes
The '1862' designation refers to the patent year; surviving examples are typically dated 1862-1863. Commercial production continued into the following decades at Liege, Belgium and in France. The pinfire cartridge featured a small pin protruding from the case head that struck an internal primer when hit by the hammer.
Background
Lefaucheux termed the Model 1862's lockwork a 'triple action' because the trigger could hold the hammer at a partial or full cock without releasing it - letting a shooter stage the trigger like a single-action while keeping the rapid self-cocking fire of a double-action pinfire.